Vistas Online 2008

VISTAS Online is an innovative publication produced for ACA by Dr. Garry R. Walz and Dr. Jeanne C. Bleuer of Counseling Outfitters, LLC. Its purpose is to provide a means of capturing the ideas, information and experiences generated by the annual ACA Conference and selected ACA Division Conferences. Papers on a program or practice that has been validated through research or experience may also be submitted. This digital collection of peer-reviewed articles is authored by counselors, for counselors. VISTAS Online contains the full text of over 900 proprietary counseling articles published from 2004 to 2017.

2008

Using the Community Readiness Model to Guide Services for LGBT Elders

Laurie A. Carlson and Kelly S. Harper

2008

Today there is an estimated 1 to 3 million lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) individuals over the age of 65 in America (National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, 2000). This number is expected to reach 4 million by the year 2030 (National Gay and Lesbian Task Force) and it seems that our social institutions might be ill-prepared to provide the necessary services to this aging population. Many of these elders spent their young adulthood prior to the Stonewall years and carry with them internalized shame and fear because during their formative years homosexuality was highly criminalized, pathologized, and stigmatized (Hollibaugh, 2004). Because of these factors LGBT elders are much less likely than their heterosexual peers to have the self-advocacy skills necessary for successfully navigating the system as an aging adult.